


(be)witch me, baby

by avalanches



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Alternate Universe - Not K-Pop Idols, And So They Thirsted, Banter, Crushes, Fluff, M/M, Magic-Users, Metals Witch!Johnny, Plant Witch!Doyoung, Rivals to Lovers, Slow Burn, Witches, implied renhyuck, kind of?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:26:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29128707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avalanches/pseuds/avalanches
Summary: Doyoung takes pride in his position as the officially appointed Town Witch, so when a newcomer comes around and sets up his own shop just down the street from Doyoung's and subsequently threatens customers and business, to say that Doyoung is miffed is an understatement. In an attempt to figure out this new witch in town, Doyoung sends his apprentice, Renjun, to poke around, but that unfortunately no yields no result when Renjun develops a fast friendship with Donghyuck - the new witch's apprentice.Johnny, as Doyoung learns during his first meeting with the new witch, is three things: talented, irritating, and very,very attractive.
Relationships: Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung/Suh Youngho | Johnny
Comments: 16
Kudos: 139
Collections: johndofest - round one





	(be)witch me, baby

**Author's Note:**

> (johndofest prompt #19)
> 
> dearest prompter, i hope i did your prompt justice! i really did enjoy writing this so much, because all we need sometimes is some tooth-rotting fluff and some (kind-of?) slowburn. i hope you enjoy reading town witches johndo as much as i enjoyed writing them. 
> 
> thank you m for proofreading! and thank you to the mods for organising this fest!

There is new magic in the air.

Doyoung stares down at the pieces of the toy that he had been fixing for Mrs Lee from down the street, his mind suddenly distracted from the task at hand. He feels it, that ripple of magic that isn’t his or his apprentice’s, sliding under the currents of the protective wards and barriers that he has set up all around town. There’s no way the other person, presumably a witch, could have ignored all the magic that he has set up around the town. Not when this intruder has such a strong magical presence themself.

“Renjun?”

He grabs a rag, wiping his hands haphazardly as he runs his magic through the circuits that he has planted in the pavements and lanes, hurriedly checking all the protective measures that he has set in place. Doyoung loves this town, loves its quaint, welcoming atmosphere, loves the people who smile from their hearts and radiate sunshine from their very being. If anything happened to disturb their lovely, pure lives, Doyoung would personally hunt it down to the ends of the earth and curse it to the lowest level of hell so that it would suffer for all eternity.

A shock of silver hair pops out from behind the door, and Renjun peeks carefully into the workshop. Doyoung immediately feels more comforted with the familiar hum of his apprentice’s magic near him, melding into his own and thrumming in sync with his energy.

“Do you feel it too, hyung?”

Doyoung nods, feeling relief settle in his veins when the spotcheck on the protection circuits and points reveal that they are unscathed. Whoever this new magic belongs to, they appear to have no malicious intentions — they are just hovering there in the sphere of Doyoung’s magic that blankets the town, like a stain on a white shirt that wasn’t too glaring or obvious. It is just there, just kind of present in Doyoung’s periphery.

“I don’t think it’s anything dangerous though,” he purses his lips and stares down at the toy on his work table. “But still, it might be better to check it out. Better safe than sorry?”

Renjun nods, slipping cautiously into the workshop and heading towards the large charmed whiteboard taking up one entire wall by itself. “Is that Mrs Lee’s toy? One of Jeno’s childhood mementos that she refuses to throw away?”

“Yeah,” Doyoung chances a quick glance at the clock, throws the rag back down to the table. “I guess it can wait for a bit. C’mon, Junnie.”

His apprentice blinks owlishly back at him, marker clasped loosely between his fingers. “Sorry, what?”

“We’re going to check it out,” Doyoung mutters, reaching for the stack of parcels piled up neatly by the side of the door, all wrapped up neatly thanks to the efficiency of his apprentice. “Let’s call it an extended lunch break of sorts. We’ll deliver some things along the way to make it more productive I guess.”

He turns away to hide his smile as Renjun’s face lights up at the idea of going around town. Maybe he should send his apprentice on more delivery trips; sometimes Renjun has too much energy after all.

🌱

There is a sign painted in a bright red that hurts Doyoung’s eyes on the previously empty lot three stores down on the street opposite his.

“Beary Magic Help.” What a bad pun.

Beside him, Renjun snorts. “It’s not that bad, hyung. Stop judging. I can feel the disdain rolling off you in _waves_.”

Doyoung sniffs, waves a hand dismissively. “No one is allowed to dictate anyone’s feelings. I believe that was what I first told you when you turned up on my doorstep.”

Renjun shifts guiltily beside him and Doyoung reaches out to ruffle the hairs at the nape of his neck, both parts endeared and reassuring in the habit. He thinks about the fourteen-year-old that had appeared in front of his door, completely drenched from the heavy thunderstorm that had been wreaking havoc on the entire town. Renjun had been thin, thinner than even now, his teeth chattering as he begged Doyoung to help him control his magic, even after nearly face-planting into Doyoung’s pristine carpet while being close to passing out due to the magical energy overwhelming his tiny frame.

Where Renjun came from, magic is considered an aberration, an act of sin. So Renjun had kept the magic inside of him, afraid to show anyone, let it grow to an extent that it burnt into his skin and whipped up erratic storms that threatened lives. He had decided to run away out of fear, out of desperation, following the whispered rumours of a witch that ran a handy shop in the next down and the faintest trail of magic in the air, until he eventually quite literally fell into Doyoung’s arms and passed out right there.

Doyoung rubs a thumb gently into the top of Renjun’s neck, turns back around to stare at the new shop that emanated the same energy that he had detected back in his own shop. They are not a threat for now, he decides, and both Renjun and him have more important things to do rather than poke their noses into other people’s magic.

“Let go, Junnie. We can drop by the bakery after we deliver Ms Park’s parcel. Maybe we can get those nice chicken pot pies that you like for dinner, I’m feeling a little lazy to cook today.”

Renjun nods enthusiastically, dutifully following Doyoung as his master turns sharply on his heel and heads the opposite way, where their destinations are. Doyoung can see him chewing on his lip out of the corner of his eye, mulling over some thoughts in his head before he opens his mouth. By then, they are already at the end of the street, waiting for the light to turn green so they can cross the road to go to the apartment complex on the other side.

“Should we say hi? I’m sure they know we live in this town. Maybe we should be polite?”

The cars come to an abrupt stop before the opaque white line painted on the gravel road, and a little walking man lights up in green. Doyoung quickly crosses the street, waving to some of the drivers as Renjun follows on his heels, the contents in his tote bag clinking softly as they step onto the pavement off the road.

Doyoung presses his lips together, his fingers rolled into his palms inside the pockets of his coat as he feels around the edges of the foreign magic lingering in _his_ town. He retracts it carefully for now, quickly checking the protective spells on his own shop as a precaution before turning to look at his apprentice ambling along beside him.

“We’ll let them introduce themselves first. We were first here, after all.”

🌱

“Here.”

Renjun blinks up at where he had been reading a chapter in one of the many books in Doyoung's collection, curled up one of the older armchairs behind the counter, usually occupied by the older man. Doyoung watches his apprentice's eyes flicker to the bag in his hand —just an innocent white paper bag with black ribbons for handles. The younger boy heaves himself off the couch with a dramatic sigh, deliberately ignoring the older witch's eyeroll even as he reaches for the bag to peer at its contents.

"A present? For who?"

"For the new witch and his apprentice who just moved in down the street."

Renjun stares back at him. "I thought we were going to let them say hi first?"

Doyoung waves a hand dismissively, turning back to check the log book of customer requests open on the large wooden counter before him. Most of them have been requiring home visits, mainly dealing with plants and some pesky furniture that was refusing to be fixed. All in all, they weren't very heavy jobs, and he could most likely deal with them by himself easily enough.

"Got to be the bigger person, I guess," he replies, gesturing in the direction of the stationery drawer to summon his favourite stack of blue post-its and a pen. "They should have been the ones to visit, being the new ones to town and all."

Renjun frowns, but he's already reaching for his coat. A bit too eagerly, Doyoung notes, but he doesn't bother to call him out. They had detected two individual strands of magic, one a bit less stable, a little more volatile, just like how Renjun's is. It most likely belongs to an apprentice, given how the magic occasionally flickers and bubbles out of the circle that it is supposed to stay in. If he had noticed it, his apprentice had most definitely come to the same observation as him as well.

Doyoung doesn't blame Renjun for being excited about another apprentice witch being in town. Growing up with magic is an awfully lonely process — Doyoung knows that too well himself. He remembers growing up in an isolated cottage on the edge of the cliff, staring longingly at the village that bustled with life and laughter at the foot of the mountain. _Don't go there_ , he remembers his old master's stern voice, ringing cruelly in his ears. _You will only harm them, Dongyoung. If you do, they will hurt you back_.

Things are different now, he supposes. He's lucky to have found this sleepy, warm town at the edge of the city, tucked away from the harsh words and venomous slurs thrown at people who were "cursed" to be abnormal. Here, his magic is appreciated instead as he helps around as a handyman of sorts, except his tools tended to be either infused with charms or just made out of pure magic. They had welcomed him and Renjun with open arms, helped them settle into their little shophouse, and showered them with genuine affection in the forms of delicious food and warm clothing.

Here, in this little town, they affectionately refer to him as the town witch. _Their_ town witch.

Doyoung doesn't quite know how to feel about another witch residing in the same town as him.

While one strand of the foreign magic had been unstable, flickering in and out of control occasionally, the other had been much more steady, and radiated such raw _power_ that honestly had Doyoung throwing up an aggressive attack out of reflex. He knows pure talent when he senses it, and the magic of the new witch in town is not at any conventional levels.

If this other witch wanted to wipe them out, they could probably do it single-handedly.

But Doyoung knows his own mastery and power too; if that ever happens, he is aware that he is capable of holding his own in a fight. Regardless of his confidence, the raw power radiating from the other witch still makes uneasiness stir in his gut, coupled with the lucid mastery exercised over sheer amount of pure magic, brings the image of magic clashing to Doyoung's mind.

 _Not again,_ the voice in his head whispers. _Not again. You have Renjun too this time_.

Something twists uneasily in Doyoung's gut, but he pushes it away into a corner of his head for now. He does have a habit of overthinking, but the relief that settles into his veins after being proven wrong is always comforting. Right now, the new magic doesn't seem invasive or aggressive in any way. So there shouldn't be any threat, right?

Renjun reaches over to pat his hand gently, coat already wrapped around his smaller frame.

"Hyung," the younger's voice is quiet, but comforting. His apprentice has always been very attuned to emotions, a side-effect of his magic being linked to his feelings, which in turn influences the weather. Times like these, Doyoung is very grateful for his companion. If not for Renjun, he would be constantly stuck inside his own head, and if he had to be honest it is not a nice place to be in at all.

"I'm sure they aren't aggressive," Renjun assures him, eyes flicking to the corner of the red sign barely peeking out of the edge of their shop's window. "If they wanted to be aggressive, I'm sure they would have attacked already. The fact that they haven't taken down our shields, or disturbed any of our protection circuits, means that they probably hold no malicious intent. They are probably just here to assist the villagers, like what we are doing. Like what we proposed to the town back then when we arrived here years ago."

His apprentice is right. Doyoung exhales softly, nods at Renjun before turning his attention back to the logbook in front of him. It does him no good to overthink this situation for now.

"Just give them the present, tell them it's a token of our good-will, and that they are welcome to drop by and say hi any time they want."

Renjun raises an eyebrow, but he doesn't say anything as he heads towards the door. Doyoung senses the judgement nonetheless, and he sighs as his apprentice's hand lands on the doorknob.

"No, I am not going over to say hi to them. Yes, I am being petty."

Renjun's laughter fills the small cramped space of their storefront, bright and warm, and Doyoung can't help the tilt of his lips as the younger pulls the door open. He reaches for the sign hanging on the back of the door, turning back momentarily to grin at his master.

"It's fine, hyung. One of us has to be the un-petty one. That's why you need me around."

Doyoung snorts fondly as Renjun flips the sign from _CLOSED_ to _OPEN_ , the remnants of his apprentice’s laughter lingering in the air as the spell on the windows kicks in with the changing of the sign. The sunlight filters in through the glass, warm pale yellow creeping up the walls as the door closes behind the younger.

Renjun is right, he supposes. His apprentice has always been less petty, less judgemental. It's good that he is, Doyoung thinks. It's better that Renjun doesn't hold the same amount of bitterness and resentment that Doyoung has locked up into boxes inside his head, shoved to the back in an attempt at ignoring the pain that still cut into his skin like fresh wounds on some days.

Somewhere in his jumbled thoughts, as the doorbell tinkles and he automatically looks up to greet the customer with a smile, Doyoung hopes that the new witch will like his welcome gift.

🌱

"So?"

Doyoung doesn't look up from the novel that he is currently focused on, ignoring that Renjun is standing in front of him with his hands planted on his hips in a smug stance. They had just finished dinner, and Renjun was just done with dishes, as Doyoung gathered from the turning off of the tap and the lack of cutlery clinking in the background.

"So?" he parrots back to his apprentice, turning a page. Water droplets splash onto his face and Doyoung looks up just in time to see Renjun flick the remnants of water on his fingers into his face.

"Aren't you curious?" Renjun states plainly, unbothered by his master's sputtering and crossing his arms over his chest. Doyoung stares up at his apprentice disbelievingly, snapping his book shut and setting it on the table beside his armchair with his glasses before steepling his fingers together in resignation.

"Not really, but you seem to be very eager to report your 'findings', Junnie."

Renjun snorts, flopping onto the couch set adjacent to the table, propping himself up on his elbows and resting his face on his fists as he meets Doyoung's stare eagerly.

"Don't use quotation marks, hyung. We both know that you sending me over with a welcome gift was also you sending me over to snoop around the new witch and the shop. _Please_. If you really didn't want me to 'investigate', you would have just left the gift at their doorstep instead."

Doyoung doesn't bother admitting to Renjun's accusation or the exaggerated air quotes; he has long learnt that despite his apprentice being the most endearing person that he knows, the younger is also unfortunately the most _insufferable_ person in certain situations. Not that it particularly bothers him — he knows that unless Renjun absolutely trusts him, the younger wouldn't be acting like that around him. _I'm annoyingly endearing to you, hyung,_ he had declared before, one particular night when they were cuddled together in a small tent under the stars in a journey that had already ended. _That's why you keep me around_.

Renjun's not exactly wrong. He _is_ annoyingly endearing, and Doyoung would literally lay down his life if anything ever happened to the younger witch.

"Yeah, whatever floats your boat. So what did you find?"

The silver-haired apprentice nods thoughtfully in response once before opening his mouth.

"Well, we were right — they are just like us: one full-fledged witch and his apprentice. They moved here from somewhere near the South, according to the apprentice. His name's Donghyuck, by the way, he apparently is from an island village? His magic is connected to the sun, or anything that is related to light."

"Huh, from the South?" Doyoung is aware of small island villages, a smattering of them curving around the shoreline of his old village. "So there _are_ individuals born with magic there. Interesting, it makes sense that his magical affinity is with the sun."

"He's so _irritating_ ," Renjun rolls his eyes before turning over to flop on his back, scowling up at their bare ceiling. "I was polite and everything, greeted them, said good morning, and showed them the gift in my hand. And he had the fucking _balls_ to pretend that he didn't see me because I'm _short_."

"He's not wrong though," Doyoung tilts his head to avoid the pillow chucked in his direction, well-aware of the burst of magic that his apprentice had channeled even without looking. "You are unfortunately on the shorter side, Renjunnnie. I tell you that all the time."

"He's so _rude_ ," Renjun snaps out, but Doyoung catches the tinge of red on the younger's cheekbones, even under the dim light of their living room. Whoever this apprentice is, he must be decently attractive _and_ intelligent, judging by the slightly distracted look in Renjun's eyes, coupled with the flush streaked across his face. Doyoung chooses not to comment on it, instead reaching out to ruffle his apprentice's silver hair in a silent gesture to encourage the younger to continue.

"His master is nice though," Renjun continues thoughtfully, "he is so _tall_ though, and I think he's definitely not from anywhere around here. Across the ocean maybe? Judging by his accent, anyway. He is so nice though, all smiley and gentle, and he _really_ liked your gift."

Doyoung's mouth twitches in reflex. In reaction to what, he has absolutely no idea. But there is a burning question perched on the tip his tongue, so fuck his pride at this point.

"Is he...powerful?"

Renjun goes quiet at that, but Doyoung can feel the tentative nod with the bop of his head.

"You were right to be afraid, hyung. I'm not going to lie about that —the sheer _power_ of his raw magic would have been enough to send anyone with magic fleeing with their tail in between their legs. But, how do I explain this? I didn't feel…unsafe?"

Doyoung blinks, fingers stilling in Renjun's hair where he had been carding them through thick silver locks. "Hmm, not even with the raw magic in the air?"

"No," Renjun twists around to look at him, eyes wide but not with fear. "He was so calm, and reassuring? Like his magic was powerful alright, _way_ more powerful than Donghyuck's. You were right, you know, he could have single-handedly destroyed all the protection that you had set up around the village, maybe even inflicted some damage on you in the process. But he didn't do any of that. He had just smiled at me, took your gift and thanked me for coming up to welcome them to this town."

"Huh," Doyoung's mouth is dry, unsure on how to process this confirmed information.

Undeniably, there is that soothing relief that spreads across the back of his mind that this new witch, despite the power he holds, doesn't appear to be interested in destroying the security that Doyoung has set up across the town. On the other hand, he's still wary of this other witch, one with a terrifyingly powerful magic that could easily bring anyone to their knees, existing alongside him in this town that Doyoung has sworn his loyalty to. He is there, just _right there_ , amongst the villagers who had welcomed Doyoung and Renjun with open arms, who provide them with groceries and supplies every other week, who love both of them like they had grown up with them right in this small town.

"Hyung."

Renjun is clambering into his lap, arms wrapped tightly around Doyoung's waist, tucking his face into Doyoung's lap. The silver strands of his soft hair tickle Doyoung's jaw gently, and the witch inhales quietly, breathing in his apprentice's familiar scent of honeysuckle and cotton. It calms him, stills the panic lingering in his head, and Doyoung counts the gentle rise and falls of Renjun's chest as the younger presses closer to him.

"It will be alright, hyung. I don't think Johnny is a threat."

"Johnny?"

"Yeah," Renjun pulls away to peek up at him through his silver bangs, falling messily over his forehead into his eyes. _He needs a haircut_ , Doyoung reminds himself. "That's his name. Sounds like he's from across the ocean alright."

Doyoung hums quietly, and pulls Renjun closer to cuddle the younger tightly. His apprentice follows willingly, and they sit there in silence for a bit, their magic humming in harmony in the room as Renjun's eyelids slide shut from exhaustion.

 _Johnny_. That's an interesting name, he supposes.

🌱

Despite the new magic thrumming in the air, Doyoung soon forgets about it easily enough. It's not so much of him forgetting that it is more —it's hard to ignore with the raw energy simmering under the carefully built restraints that hold it back after all. Doyoung has to begrudgingly admit that he is impressed by the control that owner has over it; it took him years of training coupled with lots of pain to be able to set up his own constraints and have a firm grip over his own magic. _Comes with the price of being blessed by the magic gods_ , his own mentor had told him loftily as he watched Doyoung struggle with the vines that had burst out of the ground and curled around his feet like chains imprisoning a criminal.

Part of him is honestly slightly alarmed at how this new magic, clearly emanating in strong waves from a very talented and powerful witch, has melded to the wavelength of his own magic so easily. It hasn't bothered nudging Doyoung's directly, it just kind of floats around him, otherwise tethered easily to the shop with the embarrassingly cheesy name just down the street from Doyoung's very own.

Ah yes, the other magic shop. There are now _two_ magic shops in this small town.

Unnecessary, Doyoung thinks. But surely, his business wouldn't be affected. He's the one who has been here longer after all. He had gained the villagers' trust with his gummy smile and his efficiency with rescuing plants that were on the brink of wilting or giving into the rot that had steeped into their stems and leaves. He is good at using his magic for fixing both living and non-living objects, but Doyoung's affinity with plants and the earth has always made him much better at healing a dying succulent than fixing a watch that had suddenly stopped working. The villagers loved that about him, called him a plant whisperer, and excitedly begged him to speak words of affection and encouragement to the tiny greens that they otherwise couldn't communicate with.

Doyoung has never hated his affinity to nature. It had been cruel to him when he was an inexperienced apprentice, when he was struggling to control the magic that burst out of him in waves and ripped apart trees taller than skyscrapers, turned snow into the sharpest chunks of hail. However, once he had connected with Mother Earth, She had undeniably extended a helping hand to him and helped him calm the turbulent storm of magical energy swirling inside of him. Now, he loves it, loves talking to the smallest sprouts and hearing the secrets of the money plant sitting in the corner of a house whispered into his ear.

He wouldn't have chosen any other magical affinity, really, despite the painful journey of learning how to control his magic.

However, when Lee Jeno bursts through the door of his shop one day with one of his older sister's plants clutched tightly between his hands, Doyoung wishes that maybe he had a second affinity for metals instead.

It starts off innocently enough, the entire exchange. Doyoung adores the younger boy, with his samoyed-like tendencies and his bright smile that curved his eyes into crescents and practically lit up every single room that it occupied. He had been gently stroking the succulent, placed gently on the huge wooden countertop beside his logbook of customer requests, whispering silent encouragement with his fingertip to coax out the stubborn rot that had invaded the roots of the tiny green. Jeno, on the other hand, had been talking excitedly about his most recent football match, recounting excitedly to him about how he has finally been put on the starting line-up for the upcoming inter-town football match. And Doyoung, being the adoring older brother figure that he likes to think he is to Jeno, had been absentmindedly listening along until a familiar name fell from the younger boy's lips.

"...but Johnny-hyung fixed it, on the spot too! So it's all good and running again!"

"Wait, hold on," Doyoung straightens up, fingers falling away from the small succulent, and he ignores the tiny whine that echoes in his ears as he fixes his eyes on Jeno. "Johnny? The new witch? He fixed something of yours?"

"Hyung, were you even listening?" the way Jeno is pouting at him should be illegal, and on other days Doyoung would have reached across to pinch his cheeks with a coo, but right now there are more urgent matters at hand. "Yeah, Johnny-hyung was there to watch the match. He's definitely from across the ocean, called it _soccer_ instead of football like we do."

"Yeah, yeah," Doyoung dismisses that with a wave of his hand. "What did he fix?"

"My dad's watch," Jeno replies, eyes wide and curious, "Yuta-hyung had accidentally kicked the ball into the stands, and my dad tried to catch it, but it ended up hitting his watch. His wrist was fine, but his watch had stopped. We were worried that it couldn't be fixed you know, since it was the watch that my mom had got him during their first anniversary. It's special to them."

"Uh huh," Doyoung nods slowly. He remembers that particular watch, undoubtedly not his taste with how _bright_ gold it is, but it isn't his place to judge the preferences of others. "So, _Johnny_? Fixed it?"

"Yeah," Jeno's eyes are round and shiny now, and Doyoung knows that look all too well. He had been on the receiving end of said eyes before, except now he's definitely _not_ the subject of these adoring eyes.

"He was so cool! He just touched the metal, and closed his eyes for a bit, like what you do when you are talking to a bigger plant, or one that is a little bit more sick, like you say? And then the metal just kind of unfolded itself and the broken parts glued themselves together, and then Johnny just moved some of it around? Then it was fixed! Just like that! And then he just drew some patterns on the air above it, and then it started working again. Like it's brand new!"

Doyoung blinks, his brain empty, and there is something green and ugly stirring in his stomach. He swallows once, and carefully looks back at Jeno before settling his fingers back on the succulent that had been whining for attention.

"Oh?"

"He said he works well with metals," Jeno chirps, completely unaware of the turmoil slowly accumulating into a slow churn in the pits of Doyoung's guts. "That's his speciality, I think, like how plants are yours?"

Doyoung nods slowly, forcing himself to focus on the grainy feeling of the rot pouring out of the soil and collecting onto the tips of his fingers. The shrill little voice turns into a happy little squeak, and he smiles down softly at the succulent, already looking much healthier and greener compared to twenty minutes ago.

"Take care of yourself, little guy," he murmurs affectionately, giving it one little stroke, his lips curving up at the little shrill of happiness that thrills in his ears as he pulls away. He wipes his hand on a cloth with dispelling runes stitched onto the hem, watching the rot on his fingers vanish into nothing.

"Change the soil when you get back," he orders Jeno, pushing the succulent in his direction. "I would do it for you, but unfortunately we have just run out. It won't arrive until tomorrow."

Jeno nods obediently, and the action again reminds Doyoung of a fluffy samoyed puppy. Must be the hair, he thinks, as he reaches out to ruffle it gently.

"He fixed Mrs Choi's clock too. And oh, I heard from Jisung that he fixed Jaemin's laptop when it broke down suddenly and he had some assignments due. He's apparently not just good with traditional metals and devices, it applies to modern electronics as well."

Well, that's _one_ thing that Doyoung can't exactly do. Maybe it's his magical affinity with earth and nature, but he has never been particularly useful when it comes to fixing metals. It never really bothered him after all, despite the town not having their own electronics expert. They were close enough to the city after all, and it had more than enough shops with experts that could give far better tech advice than Doyoung could.

But now, with this new witch, Johnny, in town, they won't have to travel anymore.

So Johnny is just a bit more useful than him, in terms of being a town witch, due to his affinity with metals that allowed him to be good with electronics by extension. What about it? Doyoung has been here longer, surely he won't be replaced by a newcomer just like _that_.

The thought of being replaced and evicted from this town that he now calls home invokes that uneasy stirring in his stomach again. Doyoung just pushes it aside for now, forces a smile onto his face as he watches Jeno reach for his wallet.

"Don't worry about it," he says, as the younger boy fumbles with some notes, "just buy me a latte from Mr Choi's coffeeshop the next time you decide to drop by to visit, or to annoy Renjun. Whenever you like, really."

He really should build some form of resistance or defence against Jeno's eyes — the younger isn't aware of the true power of his "coochie eyes" as Jaemin and Renjun like to call them. He's glad, really, that Renjun is getting along with the other kids in town that are the same age as him, that he has friends to hang out with outside of just having lessons with Doyoung and helping him run the shop during the day.

As the bell tinkles behind Jeno's back with his exit, Doyoung gingerly feels around for the other magic in the air and finds it easily - big, bold, and tinted with the most regal shade of crimson. In contrast, his own magic is more cool-toned, bordering on icy even, which he thinks is surprisingly appropriate given that Doyoung had been born in the midst of an aggressive snowstorm. It's just there, the other witch's magic: warm, bold, pulsing gently like the soft embers of a dying fire in the hearth of a home.

The cold will only extinguish the warmth, Doyoung thinks, even as the warm magic inches slowly in the direction of his own, as if reaching out towards him. He snaps his eyes open to stare down at the countertop, smacking his tongue against the back of his teeth before reaching for one of his novels lying face down beside his customer logbook.

They are already incompatible, it's a fact, but Doyoung doesn't know why it makes his heart twist in slight disappointment. He thought he had already gotten over the feeling of rejection, being subjected to it way too many times, but the feeling still is there, pooling in his gut disconcertingly. He shakes his head, finds the spot where he had stopped at in his book, and forces himself to chase away that lingering emotion.

It doesn't matter if they don't get along, so long they coexist and help this town together.

Doyoung is pretty sure that Johnny can't talk to plants anyway. Someone has got to hear all the gossip around the town that the greens are just _dying_ to spill.

🌱

"This is Donghyuck, Johnny's apprentice."

Doyoung nods, eyebrows raised as he catches their matching flushed cheeks under the bright lights of his shop. Seems like Renjun's little crush isn't unreciprocated after all, given the way that the other boy is eyeing the curve of his apprentice's lips very intently.

 _Boys,_ Doyoung sighs internally. He blinks slowly at Renjun, the silent question hanging in between them, which his apprentice responds with a weird jerk of his head. _Shut up, hyung_ , and Doyoung almost snorts out loud right there.

"Soooooooo," Donghyuck drags out the word as he swings his legs from where he is seated atop one of the tall bar stools on the other side of the counter. He deliberately drags his gaze over the interior of the shop, where a couch and some beanbags are tucked amongst the mini forest that resided at the shop front. "I heard from Renjun that your magical affinity is with plants?"

Oh, wow, so his apprentice had sold him out so fast. Doyoung shoots said boy a warning look before closing his novel and leaning his elbow on the counter, ignoring how Renjun rolls his eyes to the ceiling subtly.

"Yes, but more specifically with anything connected to the soil, to Earth, more like," he taps his fingers on the counter, raising his eyebrows again when Donghyuck's eyes snap back to his face. "I heard from Jeno that your master's affinity is with metals?"

Donghyuck nods, purple hair falling into his eyes, and Doyoung is weirdly overcome with the urge to ruffle his hair like how he usually does with Renjun. "Yeah, his former master was a blacksmith? So it definitely helped with honing his skills. Mine is with the sun and light, so we’re kind of compatible, like you and Renjun, but Johnny's doing his best to help me work on controlling my magic."

Doyoung hums in response, drumming his fingers on the countertop now, and Renjun shoots him a silent _stop that_ with his eyes, but he chooses to ignore that. "So I'm guessing that _Johnny_ ," the name feels weirdly nice on his tongue, "knows my affinity too? Seeing as Renjun has already told you."

At least Renjun has the decency to look guilty this time, but Doyoung reaches out to pat his head, a sign of assurance that he isn't mad about this. He pushes away from the counter, heading to the fridge, fully aware of the two apprentices exchanging glances in silent communication even with his back towards them.

"Yeah," Donghyuck sounds guilty too, even as Doyoung opens the fridge and pulls out some tiramisu that he had made a few days ago. "Is it bad? Don't get mad at Renjun for telling us. He was at the shop hanging out after he was done with errands, and it just came up in conversation."

"No, I'm not mad," and he means it, he really does. He sets two plates of cake on the counter, nudging one of them in Donghyuck's direction and watching as the other apprentice looks up to his face with wide eyes. "He would have figured it out, anyway. Your master is quite a powerful witch, Donghyuck."

Donghyuck's eyes light up as he nods at the cake, immediately taking the fork to start picking at the cake. Beside him, Renjun sags in relief as he locks eyes with his master again, sending a silent thank you to his master as he starts on his own treat.

"He is," Donghyuck says, his mouth full of cake, and Doyoung thinks it's kind of endearing how the red in his cheeks spreads as Renjun wipes off some cream stained at the corner of his mouth with his thumb. "I was telling Renjun I'm pretty sure if you guys got into a fight, he would definitely win for sure."

Renjun scoffs, seemingly unaware at how Donghyuck's eyes are locked on his thumb as he licks the cream off. "Please, don't underestimate Doyoung-hyung just because his affinity is not something associated with weapons or metals. He can take Johnny-hyung in a fight for sure."

"Already calling another witch 'hyung'?" Doyoung teases, unable to help the curving up of his mouth even as Renjun tries to defend himself in a fluster of cake and jumbled excuses. "No, it's okay, Renjunnie, I was just teasing you. Don't worry about it."

"Well, Doyoung- _hyung_ ," Donghyuck drawls, the sharp clang of the metal fork hitting the ceramic plate louder than necessary due to his dramatic action. "Now we're even, since I'm calling you _hyung_ too."

Doyoung frowns. "I don't remember giving you permission to call me _hyung_."

"Too bad," Donghyuck sticks his tongue out, eyes glinting playfully under his violent fringe. "I'm going to call you _hyung_ now and there's no way you can take it back."

Oh, so Donghyuck is _just_ like Renjun, just a little louder, a little less shy, and definitely infinitely more confident in his abilities to be annoyingly endearing. Doyoung sighs, slightly miffed by how easily the other apprentice had _both_ managed to get under his skin and also worm his way into his heart. Sure, Doyoung had a soft spot for cute, obedient boys like Lee Jeno, or more mature counterparts like one Na Jaemin, but seeing Donghyuck and Renjun bicker in front of him, and having Donghyuck bicker _with_ him reminds him of how his own apprentice slowly got more comfortable with him over time. It is their love language, one consisting of snappy jokes and sarcastic comebacks with no actual bite, and Donghyuck seems to speak it almost naturally.

He sees it too, the worn line of Donghyuck's shoulders when he sags against Doyoung's counter momentarily, the unconscious fidget of his fingertips against his side. Doyoung recognises all of them, the telltale signs of being bullied as someone singled out for having magic back in the South where he had been born and raised. He feels the phantom ache of old injuries in his ribs, and something warm grows in his chest for Donghyuck, his eyes automatically picking out the similar signs in their past.

"Guess I can't stop you from doing what you want," he replies with a roll of his eyes, well-aware that the two apprentices probably have seen through his exaggerated expressions. He tugs both plates towards him, unable to help the smile that stretches his face when they both turn to look at him in unison.

"More cake?"

The wide smiles on the two apprentices' face undeniably warms his heart. It's good that they are laughing like this, Doyoung ponders fondly, as he watches them bicker and shove each other. Growing up while also learning to control your magic is hardly an easy journey, but having a friend along the way definitely would have made things much more bearable, much more enjoyable in some ways.

Not like Doyoung would know. His own journey had caused him more pain than he would like to admit, so when Renjun had fallen asleep in his bed for the first time, tear streaks still staining his hollowed cheeks, Doyoung had made a silent vow to himself to never let his apprentice go through that.

How nice it would have been, he thinks, to fall in love with a fellow apprentice, as he pretends not to see Renjun catching Donghyuck's fingers, the action hidden behind the counter.

🌱

It's been more than a month since Johnny and Donghyuck had opened Beary Magic Help down the road from across Doyoung's own shop, yet by some coincidence or fate, Doyoung has not run into the other witch yet.

"Johnny-hyung's very busy," Donghyuck offers as an explanation through a mouthful of some steamed meat buns that Doyoung had made in the morning. Somehow, with his frequent visits to Doyoung's shop, Donghyuck had managed to wrangle Doyoung into letting him bring food back to his place, and by extension, for the mysterious Johnny, the witch that fixed electronic devices with a snap of his fingers.

Doyoung had heard many things about the other witch from other people, not limited to Donghyuck and Renjun's dramatic retellings of whatever exciting things that they had encountered while hanging out at Beary Magic Help. Sweet Jeno, the many ladies in town that liked to talk to Doyoung while he was talking to their plants, and even Jaemin who had dropped by to beg Doyoung into helping him revive his cactus (seriously, for someone who was not blessed with a green thumb, Jaemin is awfully obsessed with keeping plants), had described Johnny in a variety of ways that still gave Doyoung no idea about his appearance.

"He's so handsome," Yerim tells him dreamily, eyes unfocused as Doyoung crushes some herbs with a muttered spell and mixes the powders together, a quick remedy for a cold that her sister is down with. "So tall, so broad, and his _muscles_. Oh, to be carried in his arms, what a _dream_."

"Really now," Doyoung replies mildly as he strains the powdered mixture into a plastic baggie, sealing it with another quick incantation under his breath. "Ask him out then, Yerim-ah."

"Oh, no," Yerim shakes her head, snapping out of her stupor to reach for her wallet as Doyoung handed her the ziplock bag now filled with medicine. "He prefers men, apparently. Said he's bisexual, but he prefers to date men."

Doyoung blinks, but doesn't let the surprise show on his face. Or so he thinks, because if Yerim's waggled eyebrows as she left the shop were anything to go by, it seemed that he had failed to hide his reaction towards this new tidbit about the new witch that he somehow now indirectly works with in town.

Surprisingly, business hasn't gone down since Johnny and Donghyuck's arrival in town. Doyoung hears about Johnny's antics, about how he solves problems sometimes with his physical strength rather than his magic because he is _oh so fit_ , and _oh so strong_ and _oh so very very tall and handsome_. His customers still come to him with their plant problems, for a quick herb remedy, and sometimes for advice on recipes and homework. It's just that issues that often involved mechanics, which Doyoung would have taken longer to work on, now go to Johnny and his inclination for metals and electronics.

"I'm surprised he hasn't come by to say hi to you," Jaemin tells him casually, his university readings spread across Doyoung's countertop, and Doyoung has to resist the urge to sweep some of them off in a fit of pettiness. "Johnny-hyung keeps asking people about you. He's curious about how you actually look like, but you have never ran into each other."

"That's not my fault," Doyoung replies snappily, pushing Jaemin's refilled glass of ice lemon tea across to the younger boy seated on the other side of the counter. "I guess we aren't fated to meet, even in such a small town. Also, we are both very busy people."

There it is, that evil twinkle in Jaemin's eye that Doyoung recognises. This is why Jeno is his favourite, no matter how loudly and dramatically Jaemin complains about that. Jeno is sweet, adorable, and never says things to provoke Doyoung and get under his skin. His best friend, on the other hand, is not the case.

"Aren't you curious about what people have been saying about you, Doyoung-hyung?"

Doyoung flicks the water on his wet hands in Jaemin's direction, uncaring of the whines that fall from the younger's mouth as they catch on the top of his laptop. "If I really cared, I would have asked, Jaemin-ah. And you really should be working on your Romanticism essay instead of asking me useless questions and providing me with information that I don't want to hear."

Jaemin giggles, and he takes a long sip of his drink before turning back to his laptop. "Don't worry, hyung. No one has been saying bad things about you or your shop. If anything, it makes Johnny-hyung even more eager to meet you, but he has been really busy. A lot of people have been replacing their televisions or their air-conditioning systems, so he's been around town doing that."

Doyoung knows that, with his house visits to some of the townspeople's gardens, or to some trees on the roadside. Is he lowkey miffed that his business is undeniably kind of affected, despite the steady stream of customers? Yes, he definitely is. But is he actually jealous of the way the townspeople, both male and female alike, gush about Johnny's supposedly good looks, very delicious (Yuta's words, not his) biceps and thighs, his quick efficiency and gorgeous smile?

Maybe, yes. But Doyoung would rather die than admit to Na Jaemin that he is jealous of someone that he hasn't even met face-to-face yet.

He feels it sometimes, when they are in the same vicinity—- the brushing of Johnny's warm magic against the edges of his own colder, harder power. Just a gentle caress, a fleeting touch that bordered on flirtatious, Doyoung's traitorous mind likes to tell him, a brief hello and acknowledgement of his presence.

It's because no one's magic has ever been this compatible with his, that he has never met someone with magic this warm and comforting despite the raw power contained, Doyoung justifies himself. It's _definitely_ not because he's been single for the longest time, never actually been with someone whose magic was so different, yet so harmonious with his own. So what if Johnny is actually charming and handsome? So what if the brief brushes of his magic sent heat to Doyoung's cheeks and made his heart skip a beat?

He's not someone who gets flustered just because someone flirted with him with magic. That's not who Kim Doyoung is at all. If Johnny is so curious about him, why hasn't he turned up on Doyoung's doorstep to thank him for the welcome gift that he had sent him via Renjun a month ago?

"If he wants to meet me so bad, he can come and visit my shop himself."

Jaemin grins at him over the top of his laptop, heavy book of Romantic poems open on his lap, giggling as the Monstera plant beside him bops forward to tickle his cheek with a leaf. For someone who isn't blessed with magic at all, Doyoung's plants are surprisingly attached to the younger boy.

"Maybe he'll actually turn up sooner than you think."

🌱

The sunlight is slowly inching down the walls of Doyoung's shop, his plants clamouring towards the last bits of it in a muted chatter that fills his ears as he organises some newly harvested herbs in containers and bags. It had been a slower day than usual, with no house visits, and just a few customers coming in. Jaemin and Jeno had gone on a school trip, and Renjun is probably off somewhere with Donghyuck on a "not-date" as he likes to say in response to Doyoung's teasing. So, Doyoung had taken the day to finish his Higashino novel, clear out some herbs that had overgrown their pots, and spent time listening to his plants gossip about how Mrs Na's fashion was absolutely out of taste.

A generally uneventful day, until Doyoung's clock had slipped right off the wall and hit the counter with a loud thud before the hands stopped moving.

It had been a welcome gift from the town when he had first moved in, a plain clock with an illustration of bunnies sitting right below the centre where the hands were fastened in. He had picked up the parts, swept away the glass, and made a mental note in the back of his head to work on fixing it over the weekend before going back to his task of cleaning the harvested herbs for packaging and organisation.

The bell tinkles and it is completely out of reflex that Doyoung opens his mouth before he senses the new magic in the air. Warm, homely, and a little too close to his own that was wrapped around every single inch of his shop and the small apartment that he shared with Renjun above.

"Welcom— _oh._ "

"Hi."

The man standing in his shop is tall, much taller than him, and it is clear that he had to duck just a little bit to avoid hitting his head on Doyoung's doorframe. His blonde hair is parted in the middle, slicked carefully to the sides in a neat style, framing his sharp face that was undoubtedly _handsome_ with sleepy eyes crinkled up into a smile with the curve of his lips. He is dressed simply in a plain white shirt, with a blue denim jacket over it, the front hem tucked into black jeans that wrapped snugly around firm muscular thighs that lead to sleek shoes that were definitely on the pricey side. As he moves his head to look around the shop, Doyoung catches the glint of metal from an earring dangling from his right lobe, swaying gently with motion as the stranger's eyes rove around Doyoung's shop before settling on the owner himself.

"Hello," the stranger says, striding up to the counter, smile stretching even wider on his face as he sticks out his hand in greeting. Doyoung's brain faintly recognises that _oh, he is tall_ before he realises that the other magic is nudging at his own gently in greeting and his eyes fall to the hand outstretched in front of him.

"Hi?" The sound comes out firmer than he had thought it would, so that's a relief.

"Hello," the stranger repeats, hand still hovering above Doyoung's counter. "Nice to finally meet you in person, Doyoung. I'm Johnny Suh, Donghyuck's master and the owner of Beary Magic Help."

He has no reason to be rude, despite his surprise at _finally_ meeting the other witch, and the many assumptions that he has built up in his head despite not knowing how Johnny looks like. Renjun had offered to show him pictures, but he had refused to see for no particular reason, but Johnny is undeniably _handsome_ , like all the townspeople and his own apprentice have said about him.

And Doyoung is very gay, but no one except Renjun knows.

Renjun doesn't know that he has a particular weakness for a certain type of men — muscular, tall, charming, and intelligent. Johnny Suh already ticks three of these boxes, just in the few minutes that Doyoung had laid eyes on him. Again, Doyoung thinks it's just his single lonely part of his brain being too active, but he hates how his heart jumps a little at the way the light of the setting sun highlights the carved planes of Johnny's face even as he smiles at Doyoung while the other witch finally takes his hand.

"Nice to finally meet you too, Johnny," thank _gods_ his voice comes out just fine. "I'm Doyoung, the owner of Kim's Handy Shop. I see you have been busy since you stepped foot in our little town."

Johnny's hand is warm and nice, and so is Johnny's laugh as his thumb presses gently into the back of Doyoung's hand with the handshake. Doyoung's plants titter in the background, clearly charmed by this man who radiates warmth like the sun they love, and Doyoung is tempted to hiss at them. He tries pulling his hand away, but Johnny's grip is firm even as the taller witch leans forward over the counter.

"So I have been," the mischievous lilt to Johnny's voice crawls under Doyoung's skin and sends unwanted heat spiralling to the surface of his cheeks. "But you too, have been quite busy. So busy that we haven't been running into each other despite our shophouses being so near to each other."

Doyoung is sure that the flare of his cheeks is obvious under the lights, and judging by the amused look in Johnny's eyes, he isn't wrong at all. He yanks his hand out of the other witch's grasp hurriedly, ignoring the amused chatter of his plants as he turns his attention back to his herbs spread out before him.

"I think it's good that I'm busy," he replies coolly, weighing out a portion of crushed basil to pack away. "Means that you aren't stealing my business away from me, Johnny Suh."

Johnny's laughter is loud and warm, like his personality, and like his magic too. It settles into the crevices of Doyoung's own magic blanketing the shop, snug and toasty against the cooler edges of Doyoung's shields and spells. His plants automatically gravitate eagerly towards it, and Johnny laughs again when the Monstera bops gently against his shoulder.

"I would never dream of doing that, Kim Doyoung," the accent curves around his syllables, even as Johnny rubs a thumb over one of the huge Monstera leaves in greeting. "I don't have your affinity for plants after all, so I can't exactly do what you now, can I?"

"Rumour has it that you have been quite useful around town," Doyoung says carefully, watching as his sunflowers bop forward to shove their heads against Johnny's large hand now. _Traitors_ , he thinks. "It's rare to have a magic so compatible with modern technology, really. I'm sure you are the new blessing in town."

"Oh, you flatter me," Johnny grins widely back at him, broad shoulders straining against the snug fit of his jacket, and the sight of it makes Doyoung's mouth go dry. "But, thank you. I was not expecting for my magic to be attuned to electronics, so it really is a pleasant surprise. Maybe it's because my secondary affinity is with electricity, so it makes a good match I guess."

"Oh," is all Doyoung offers, mind blank, as Johnny rolls his shoulders back in a stretch. The other witch is indeed very muscular, like the rumours, and very fit, again, just like Doyoung's ideal man.

Johnny grins at him, tucking a stray blonde strand that had escaped its position behind his ear before pulling his left hand up and placing a familiar bag on the counter. Doyoung looks from it to him, unimpressed, but a snarky remark building on his tongue.

"No, I am not here to return your gift," Johnny sounds amused, but his eyes are soft and kind, and Doyoung wonders when was the last time his heartbeat had fluttered erratically because of a look like _that_ directed at him. "I appreciate it very much, I'm sure Renjun must have told you about it."

"He didn't tell me anything," Doyoung mutters, eyes locked on the same bag that he had handed off to his apprentice about a month ago. "He just keeps bringing Donghyuck over and demanding me to feed him while they flirt-fight each other on the other side of the counter."

"Oh," now Johnny just sounds a little, dare Doyoung think, disappointed? "Maybe you should visit some time, to see how we've put your gift to use."

"Maybe," Doyoung echoes dryly back, eyes flickering over the expanse of Johnny's broad chest before locking eyes with the other witch. "So, why did you bring back the bag?"

Johnny laughs again, and Doyoung tries to ignore how his heart nearly somersaults up his throat into his mouth. Being gay and weak for extremely attractive men must be a curse, he thinks faintly, as Johnny pushes the bag in his direction.

"A little gift for you in return, I hope you will like it."

Against his better judgement, Doyoung flicks dirt off his hands, pulls the bag towards him and peeks at the new contents within.

" _Oh._ Wow."

Johnny grins, hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans, as he watches Doyoung pull out a brass plaque in the shape of a triangular prism, the word "WELCOME" carved out in the front in large, intricate letters. It is heavy, simple in its design that there were no other decorations other than the words, but it is one of the most aesthetically pleasing plaques that Doyoung has seen in his life.

"Wow," his own welcome gift to Johnny suddenly seems very trivial, very thoughtless in comparison. "This is beautiful. Thank you so much, Johnny."

There is a slight shuffle of Johnny's expensive dress shoes against his floor, and Doyoung looks up to catch the slight tint of pink on Johnny's high cheekbones, which look like they have been carved out from marble with a master sculptor's hand. "I'm glad you like it," the other witch replies, grin still wide on his face, and Doyoung wonders if he had imagined the slight blush that had just been there.

"It's infused with magic, so," suddenly Johnny is leaning across the counter, the heat from his magic a little too close for comfort, as he reaches out to tap a hand on the top of the plaque. The "WELCOME" twists into squiggles before rearranging themselves into the word "CLOSED" in the same intricate font.

"Oh," Doyoung stares at the new word now, full aware of how Johnny hasn't pulled away despite his hand not being on the plaque anymore. He's also very conscious of how the other witch's eyes are trained intently on his face, seemingly watching every change in his facial expression, and that makes blood rush to his cheeks even more. Johnny has definitely noticed _that,_ judging by the amused upturn of his sleepy eyes as his eyes meet Doyoung's momentarily.

"Thank you," Doyoung whispers, running a hand over the brass plaque reverently. "Your handiwork is excellent. I'm sure your magic helped too, but your attention to detail is honestly _amazing_."

There it is again, that flush that tints Johnny's cheeks momentarily before his the corner of his mouth curls up in a side smirk that is in Doyoung's opinion, both far too smug and far too irritatingly _attractive_.

"Glad I could impress you, Mr Town Witch," Johnny's voice is deep and measured, reminding Doyoung of his magic that felt like the warm embers in a fireplace. He hates how easily he is drawn to Johnny, like a moth to a flame maybe, how easily Johnny's magic meets his on the same frequency and settles into the spaces left vacant by his own rooted in the nooks and crannies of his shop.

Doyoung wonders if his own magic would do the same thing in Johnny's shop, one that is presumably warmer, toasty, with a rich colour scheme. Donghyuck too, gives off the same vibe, with his sun-kissed skin, and the tender affection in his eyes under the sharp teasing words and cheeky remarks he throws in Renjun's direction. He's pretty sure at this point the two apprentices might have started making out, but Renjun has refused to breathe a word so far, so Doyoung has made it not his business to pry.

"There's no point calling me that when you're a Town Witch too now," he replies casually, mentally willing the flush on his cheeks to go away as he carefully sets the plaque down on the counter, rearranging some of the items on it to fit it in. However, as he is doing so, his eyes fall on the broken clock that he had placed near the wall and Doyoung lets out a sigh at the sight.

Of course, Johnny's eyes follow his gaze and his brows scrunch together at the clock lying uselessly there on the side of the counter. Before Doyoung could open his mouth, the other witch had already slipped to the corner and is now carefully examining the device before him with keen eyes.

"Oh, did it fall?"

Doyoung nods, exhaling in resignation as he carefully places his logbook on the counter and makes his way to join Johnny in looking over the clock.

"Yeah, I couldn't catch it in time, so," he makes a vague gesture towards the pile on the counter. "I was planning to mend it over the weekend though. I can't bring myself to throw it away or replace it —it is the first gift that the town gave me when I first moved here and set up shop."

"That's nice," Johnny replies, eyes still fixed on the device before them, but gone is the sleepy gaze and the roguish tilt of his mouth. He is serious, examining the different parts with an attentiveness that makes him seem more attractive in Doyoung's eyes and dries his mouth out again. "Do you mind, if I touch and take a look?"

Doyoung shrugs. "Well, you don't have to, really. Like I said, I can fix it myself."

"Nonsense," Johnny's gaze is back on him, eyes glittering again with playful mirth even as his hands carefully sort through the different parts of the clock. "You know my affinity is with metals and electronics, so just let me fix your clock. I can do it much faster than you, probably."

Now _that last sentence_ just sounds like it's walking the line between a challenge and mocking his abilities. Doyoung can't help the irritation that rises in his chest, even as Johnny shrugs off his denim jacket to reveal bare muscles uncovered by his white shirt, which was apparently sleeveless, corded muscles tight and defined as the other witch sorts out the different clock parts.

"Yes, you can, but if you're being such a cocky little shit about it, I'd rather fix it myself than rely on you and your arrogant ass."

Johnny looks up, eyes wide with surprise, before he laughs gently and turns back to his task at hand. "I was joking, Doyoung. I didn't mean to mock you seriously, only meant to rile you up a little bit. Hyuckie did mention that he liked teasing you with Renjun. Sorry if I went too far with that comment."

Doyoung deflates, partly appeased by the sincere apology and otherwise quite distracted by the roll and flex of Johnny's biceps as the other witch works on separating the parts of the clock. "It's okay. And Donghyuck _is_ right, I do get riled up easily, and both him and Renjun that make sure to take advantage of that whenever they are around bugging me for food."

"Oh, speaking of food," Johnny looks up again, and there is genuine appreciation in his eyes, even as his fingers are working nimbly on fixing Doyoung's clock. "I have to thank you for sending Hyuckie home with food, and for keeping him fed whenever he's over. I am admittedly not the best cook, nor do I actually have an affinity with the kitchen, so we have been living off whatever Ms Choi decides to give us on a daily basis. Your cooking is delicious, honestly. Some days I wish that maybe Donghyuck would bring back more food to last us longer."

There is a wistful tilt to his tone, and Doyoung preens internally at the praise of his cooking. Compliments are always nice, but they always sound much sweeter falling off the very kissable lips of a very handsome man with very nice biceps and very firm thighs that make saliva pool under Doyoung's tongue.

"Well," he offers, carefully watching the other witch's expression, "if that's the case, how about I repay you for fixing my clock with a home-cooked dinner. A full course meal, not just the dishes that I have been sending Donghyuck home with. Will that be sufficient as payment for your fixing services?"

Well, now that last sentence just sounded like a line from a porn video script.

The smug tilt of Johnny's lazy smile makes Doyoung want to run up the stairs into his bedroom and scream into his pillow and never look the other witch in the eye again. Sure, Johnny Suh is a lot of things —very handsome, very tall, very fit, very talented and very powerful in magic terms, extremely irritating in his confidence and flirting, and somehow bestowed with a talent that makes the most embarrassing lines roll off Doyoung's tongue because somehow the mere presence of this man turns his brain filter off.

"Of course," Johnny's voice is much lower, his eyes darker with a tension that makes the less intelligent part of Doyoung's brain, one mainly fueled by lust, scream like a teenage girl with a crush.

"A whole meal, made by the hands of one Town Witch, the infamous Kim Doyoung. How could I refuse?"

Doyoung snorts, the chirpy teasing in Johnny's tone snapping him out of his teenage girl reverie immediately at the realisation that he's being provoked. "Well, I could always revoke the invitation."

"Nuh-uh," Johnny grins, his palms glowing with a gentle light as he keeps his eyes on Doyoung's clock on the table. "Too late for that now, your clock is going to be fixed right this instant."

Doyoung opens his mouth, to do what, he has absolutely no idea. Maybe snap a retort or two back, but the words immediately disappear from his tongue when Johnny's magic hums, vibrating gently before enveloping the clock previously infused with Doyoung's magic and wraps the remnants of it in something that feels like a gentle warm hug.

Slowly, Doyoung watches, entranced, as the different parts of the clock taken apart under Johnny's expert hands slowly put themselves together again, fitting flawlessly into the different positions that they belonged in. He senses it, the way Johnny's magic is melding with his, joining back broken parts and sharpening edges that have dulled with time, everything clicking into place as Johnny carefully maneuvers everything together. It should be scary, how Johnny's magic somehow finds the remnants of his own inside the parts and immediately connects with them to encourage the fixing process, but yet, all Doyoung feels is the gentle warmth coaxing his own magic along, urging it to seal up the tiniest cracks and make everything good as new.

Johnny snaps his fingers, and the soft sound of the clock ticking fills the air again.

Doyoung blinks, easing himself out of the feeling of connectedness between their magic to look up at the other witch. There is a tension there, of what kind, Doyoung can't exactly put his finger on it, but he's pretty sure that the way that Johnny is watching him with hooded eyes and his lower lip trapped in between his teeth is definitely something along the lines of physical attraction.

"Well," he's the one to break the silence, and he feels the wince in his voice seeming too loud. In the background, his plants titter again, disapprovingly, and Doyoung makes a note to give them their second favourite fertiliser as punishment for being so nosy. "I've actually never connected my magic to someone's like this before. That was...an experience?"

Johnny's face stretches in a smile, nowhere as wide as the previous ones, but it is still genuine. "Yeah, same honestly. It takes a lot for magic wavelengths to be compatible. You're the first person I've managed to do this with too."

Doyoung bobs his head awkwardly, not sure what to say when Johnny's eyes are still trained on his face. He watches Johnny pull a chair to the wall, long arms reaching up easily to fix Doyoung's clock back to it's original position just by giving himself a hoist with the bar below the seat. Well, tall people with their long arms and legs had to be good for something right? Admittedly, he is enjoying the sight of Johnny's broad shoulder and firm back muscles as the other witch carefully attaches his clock to the wall with a quick incantation under his breath before Johnny turns back to face him.

"So, I'll hold you to that dinner offer, hmm?"

Doyoung tries to ignore the flutter in his stomach as John drags a tongue over his bottom lip, tearing his eyes away from the strong line of the other witch's shoulder as he starts stacking the small portions of herbs packed away in ziplock bags. "I guess I can't take that back now that you fixed my clock."

"Hm," Johnny looks more than pleased with himself, and is Doyoung irritated that such a smug look makes the other man look even more handsome? Yes, yes of course, because smug looks are supposed to decrease one's attractiveness, not make it rise a few levels on the scale. Instead, he forces himself to approach the counter again and stick his hand out for a handshake.

"Thank you. For the gift, and for fixing my clock. We'll talk about dinner some other time, yeah?"

Johnny's hand is still warm around his, but the grip around Doyoung's hand is much firmer, more measured, like Johnny wants to pull him across the counter for no reason at all. However, all the other witch does is smile back at him, all lazy eyes and just the slightest tilt of his mouth, before he squeezes Doyoung's hand once and steps away.

"No problem at all, Doyoung. It was my pleasure. Nice to finally meet you."

Doyoung laughs, the action coming surprisingly easy to him, and he calls after Johnny just as the other witch's hand lands on the doorknob.

"Nice to finally meet you too, Johnny. Welcome to our little town."

🌱

Honestly, with their different affinities and their different strengths, Doyoung shouldn't have been surprised that they don't run into each other with house visits and jobs. While he deals with plants and trees and the occasional mild illness that can be dealt with his extensive knowledge of herbs and natural remedies, Johnny does more of the heavy lifting and building work. Doyoung has caught glimpses of him talking to some of the townspeople while he fixes their gates and locks, blonde hair slicked back, black tank top showing off his deliciously toned arms and back muscles covered in a fine sheen of sweat. He sees Johnny smile and laugh at their jokes and anecdotes, charming in an effortless way that never came naturally to Doyoung.

He can see why the town has taken an instant love to Johnny. Of course, he would never admit it directly to the two apprentices who came to badger him for desserts every other day. But Johnny's charm and charisma is undeniable, even if his magic is undeniably always hovering in the air right next to Doyoung's, vibrating with raw power and potential.

On the one rare occasion that Johnny happened to be working in the yard right opposite the house that Doyoung has errands at, Doyoung has had the blessed (or cursed, who knows, really) opportunity to witness the other witch pull the hem of his tank top up to mop at the sweat on his brow, revealing a set of abs so defined, they might as well be carved from marble. They had flexed with Johnny's every move, firm and toned under the harsh sunlight of the summer sun, which Doyoung had tried to pin blame on for the moisture completely disappearing from his mouth.

Of course, Johnny had chosen that exact moment to look up and make eye contact with Doyoung. His eyes had raked over the thin button-up that Doyoung had chosen for the weather, a little sheerer than his usual fashion, having to bear the glare of the harsh unforgiving sun while running all over town tending to the cries of many overheated plants. They had lingered just a bit too long on his waist, on the open collar of his shirt, and on the line of Doyoung's collarbones that were exposed due to him having one too many button undone. Then, Johnny's mouth had quirked up again in that annoyingly attractive side-smirk that he seemed to don only in Doyoung's presence, the other witch raising a hand in greeting before turning back to his task at hand.

With all the old locks and the plants to attend to in the hot summer heat, Doyoung's promise to Johnny of a home-cooked meal goes forgotten. They barely say hi in person, but whenever Johnny's magic passes by his during their errands in the same area of the town, it always reaches out to brush against his in greeting. Warm, gentle, tender like the glowing embers of a dying fire.

Despite the dreary heat of summer, Doyoung thinks that this warmth is more soothing than it is overbearing. So he brushes back just the tiniest bit, snaking tendrils of magic out to poke at Johnny's in a cheeky taunt before withdrawing. Johnny often pokes back, chasing after Doyoung's magic in a way that makes Doyoung's heart flutter despite the innocent teasing.

"He's flirting with you," Renjun says flatly at dinner one day. There is the tip of a hickey peeking out from the loose collar of his shirt, right where his neck meets his shoulder. Doyoung pretends that he doesn't see it, grateful for once that his apprentice was willing to have dinner with him instead of running off Donghyuck (who is _not_ his boyfriend, apparently) after lessons had ended for the day.

"Really?" he offers blandly back, refilling their glasses with iced tea. Renjun snorts loudly around a mouthful of stew, ignoring Doyoung's pointed look as he chews loudly.

"Please, you forget that both Hyuck and I can sense your magic and his," his apprentice scoops up a large mouthful of rice to follow his bite of stew. "He didn't have to brush against you, but he did. And you didn't have to poke him, but you did. So, you guys are flirting, like stupid teenagers if you ask me."

 _Like you and Donghyuck?_ Doyoung wants to say, but he doesn't. Instead, he just tucks into his own portion of food, trying to ignore how his stomach had turned in anticipation or how his heart had just stuttered a little bit at the possibility that Johnny Suh is _flirting_ with him. Handsome, annoying, charming Johnny Suh who makes mothers blush and schoolgirls trip over themselves with his words.

"Mind your own business," he says instead to Renjun, who snorts even louder and shovels more food into his mouth. He places a slice of kimchi into the younger's bowl instead as a peace offering before turning to refill a side-dish from the fridge.

Maybe he likes that Johnny might be flirting with him. Or maybe, Doyoung just has been on his own for so long that he has forgotten how that particular experience is supposed to go.

Either way, he kind of likes this. Johnny doesn't appear to have any issues with it too.

🌱

"So, have you gotten laid yet?"

It's hilarious, watching Johnny stumble a bit and nearly drop the heavy metal rack that the other witch had been slowly getting onto his shoulder. Doyoung shouldn't be so delighted at the fact that Johnny might have injured himself, but he rarely gets Johnny so flustered, so he _has_ to savour the moments of his success.

He waits for Johnny to set the rack into position, feels the familiar hum of the other's magic as Johnny carefully works the apparatus into place. Somehow, Ms Kwon's precious garden had gotten trashed by a couple of drunk teenagers passing through the town on a road trip. The culprits had managed to get away, but they had left a trail of destruction in their wake, which most noticeably began with the destroyed garden.

Ms Kwon had been devastated beyond words. She had been working on her garden even before Doyoung had moved to this town five years ago, having developed a hobby out of it after a very messy and ugly divorce. She had poured her heart and soul into curating arguably the most beautiful garden in town other than Doyoung's infamous rooftop garden. Doyoung had been extremely impressed, and the flowers and greens only sing her praises whenever he visits, eager to tell him about her attentiveness.

So rarely does a job requiring the efforts of two witches ever come, but in this case, it only made sense that Doyoung and Johnny work on it together. Doyoung was in charge of recovering the plants and flowers, removing the destroyed parts and filling up the empty spaces with new friends that he had brought over from his own garden. Johnny, on the other hand, was responsible for putting together the heavy wooden and metal structures that added to the aesthetic construction of the space, as well as mending the destroyed fence that had once acted as a protective perimeter framing the garden.

"You would think encountering a fence would make you realise that you shouldn't go any further," Johnny had, muttered just loud enough for Doyoung to catch his words. He had been using a hammer instead of magic that time, and Doyoung had been content to watch his muscles flex and tighten with every movement while idly soothing the marigolds in his hands with gentle strokes of his fingers. After many instances of catching Johnny in that cursed black tank top only from a distance, Doyoung finally gets to see the real thing up close. And boy, it _is_ a delicious sight indeed, a wonderful treat to the eyes in this sweltering heat.

Johnny either owned only black tank tops, or maybe he knew the effect of him in one on Doyoung. They have been working on this garden for about four days now, managing to work out an hour or so every single day to come by to undo the destruction bit-by-bit. Today, they are finishing up, and Doyoung is attending to the pots of orchids and bougainvilleas while Johnny rearranges some wooden beams and secures the remaining metal racks into position by drilling them into the ground.

In other words, Doyoung is merely babysitting the flowers that are whining for attention, having not been touched by their owner in days, but his eyes are locked on the very appealing sight of Johnny covered in a fine sheen of sweat thanks to the physical labour that he has been performing for the past hour or so.

Doyoung is pretty sure that Johnny could have made things easier by using his magic. Maybe he just wants to show off how fit he is, how strong his muscles are, and Doyoung can't exactly blame him. If he had more defined muscles, he would show them off too. What was the point of keeping something that looks good away from the eyes of others? That's exactly why Doyoung wears low v-neck shirts from time to time; he _knows_ that his collarbones are extremely drool-worthy.

Maybe that's the reason he has chosen to don one today, a simple black shirt with a low v-neck showing off his collarbones and the four-leaf clover charm that he keeps on a chain around his neck. He has caught Johnny staring at him more than once, eyes lingering on the planes of his collarbones and the small area of chest exposed in the dip of the collar in a way that makes heat vibrate under Doyoung's skin that has nothing to do with the blaze of the summer noon sun.

"So," he repeats, unfazed by Johnny's raised eyebrows as the other witch stands up from his crouched position beside the rack. He takes a moment to appreciate Johnny as the taller rakes a hand through his sweaty hair, pushing the damp fringe back with thick fingers even as some stubborn strands fall out into his eyes. "Have you gotten laid yet? You've nearly been here three months, and you seem to a single, healthy, very good-looking man. Surely you must have caught the attention of a lucky girl, or a guy?"

Johnny laughs, and the sound is a little choked despite the effort. Doyoung revels in his power a little, pleased to see that for once he is not on the side of being flustered.

"Well, I _have_ been very busy," Johnny replies, shaking back some stray strands of hair with a flick of his head. He doesn't take his eyes off Doyoung even as the other witch stands up, brushing some dirt off his pants before moving towards the newly installed rack with a pot of orchids in his hands. "Haven't gotten the time to actually get to know someone or go on a date."

"Oh, Suh," Doyoung sighs, carefully setting the pot down on the rack and rotating it carefully into and appropriate position. "Surely you must have misunderstood my words. You don't have to go on a date to get some action in bed now, right?"

Red flares up in Johnny's cheeks again, and the laughter that spills easily out of his mouth is equal parts sheepish and amused. "Well, yes, I understand that is the case. Call me traditional, but I would rather go on a few dates with someone that I feel attracted to before we fall into bed together maybe."

 _Cute,_ Doyoung thinks, watching the other witch out of the corner of his eye as Johnny wheels a trolley of potted flowers and herbs towards him. "That's quite...unexpected? Of you?" he offers as a response, as Johnny stops in front of him, locking the trolley wheels into place so that he can hand the pots to Doyoung.

"Unexpected?"

"Well, like I said, you _are_ very attractive," Doyoung shrugs, suddenly aware of how Johnny is standing perhaps a little too close to him. The other witch leans down to pick another pot off the trolley, and his shoulder accidentally brushes against Doyoung's side. Firm, toned, and Doyoung is suddenly very tempted to put a hand on those muscles and find out just _how_ defined they are.

"Why thank you," Johnny grins, "it means a lot coming from _you_ of all people."

Doyoung is sure that his ears are red, judging by the heat that he feels rushing to them, but he steels himself to just nod in acknowledgement. He's pretty sure that Johnny doesn't have to stand so close to him, even as he asks Doyoung for directions on how to arrange the pansies on the top shelf that is just a little out of Doyoung's reach, but perfectly fine for him. But Johnny is there, in his black tank top and miles of muscles on display, so close to Doyoung with his musky scent of burnt wood and sage lingering in between them.

"You know, you aren't exactly subtle."

They are done with arranging the pots, and Johnny is currently packing most of the heavy tools up into the boot of his car while Doyoung is scattering some fertiliser around the newly replanted shrubs, stroking his thumbs over their leaves in a silent acknowledgement of their chirping gratitude. They are thanking both him and Johnny, and Doyoung is sure that the peonies on the other corner of the garden have been salivating over Johnny like he has been for the past hour, and the past few days too.

"Hmm?"

Doyoung is standing near the same metal rack, examining the leaves on a basil plant before there is a stream of hot breath washing across his neck and his back is pressed against a very firm chest. Johnny is close, _way too close_ , but Doyoung can't bring himself to push the other away even as Johnny dips his head down to whisper directly into his ear.

"I know you've been checking me out. It's okay, you know. I know I'm handsome, easy on the eyes. You said so yourself too."

"Well," Doyoung's not sure what had risen in him to say the words that came right out of his mouth in response. "If you didn't like it, you could have told me you know. I do know how to respect boundaries."

"Mhmm, well about that," there is a firm large hand wrapping around the curve of his waist, and Doyoung can't help the delicious shudder that shoots up his spine at the skin contact. "I can't say I'm opposed to it. It kind of boosts your ego, when such someone so cute and handsome as you has your eyes locked on me."

"Oh? So you think I'm cute and handsome?"

" _Very,_ " the word is murmured into the skin right behind Doyoung's ear, Johnny's lips pressed tightly into his hairline, the low baritone sending tingles of electricity sparking throughout Doyoung's very being. God, how _long_ has it been since he was touched like this? Had someone so close to him in a non-platonic capacity that made him feel like a silly teenager again, starved of touch and affection, head reeling at the mere idea that someone so sexy like Johnny found _him_ attractive?

Johnny's energy is pressed up close against his, thrumming with the same tension between that was positively electrifying, threatening to split Doyoung's defenses apart and consume him with an intensity that Doyoung has never known before. He has slept with a handful of men, both magic and non-magic, but the way that Johnny is connecting with him is just _different._ Physical attraction and sexual tension is one thing, but the way that his magic is syncing with Johnny's frequency, vibrating in a way that borders on _erotic_ is something that Doyoung has never experienced before, even in his last long-term relationship with a fellow witch that he had been madly in love with.

Perhaps the most terrifying part of this entire ordeal is that Doyoung would willingly open the walls guarding his magic down (by extension, maybe his heart too), and allow Johnny's magic to crash into his like violent waves on the beach shorefront. It has been barely three months since they were acquainted, yet Johnny had somehow wormed his way past Doyoung's defenses and ice-cold exterior with his charming words and handsome face.

Maybe it's because Doyoung feels _safe_ , even with Johnny's magic radiating raw power with the potential to destroy. He _trusts_ Johnny to not hurt him, to hold him close, and Doyoung doesn't remember the last time he had felt so secure in the presence of someone else's magic or physical being so close to his own.

There is a sharp exhale and Johnny presses a soft kiss to the curve of his ear, almost too tender and too chaste in the tension that had accumulated in the lack of space between them and their magic. Then he is stepping away, cheeks red in a way that obviously had nothing to do with the heat of the summer sun, eyes still locked on Doyoung in a mix of hunger and reverence that makes Doyoung's skin crawl with anticipation and his heart quiver violently in his chest.

"Remember your offer for a home-made meal? Would you mind if I took you up on that today? As a treat for both of us finishing Ms Kwon's garden."

Doyoung nods, not trusting himself to speak, but he still opens his mouth anyway. "Yeah, today works. I'm free and I've given Renjun the day off. He said he's not coming home for dinner."

Johnny's eyes twinkle, and there it is again, that infuriating smirk that is annoyingly attractive on his face. "What a coincidence, I happen to have done the same with Donghyuck, except I still have a few house calls to make after this."

Doyoung has to swallow once before he speaks, throat and mouth devoid of moisture at the potential implications of Johnny's words. "I'll drop by your shophouse in about an hour? I'll bring over some stew and side-dishes that I prepared earlier this week. Do you have anything in particular that you are craving?"

"No," Doyoung really shouldn't be squirming and screaming internally under the heavy gaze of Johnny's hooded eyes, but the way that the other witch's gaze is raking up and down his body before settling back on his face makes his skin _crave_ the physical proximity that they had just abandoned again. "Anything will be fine, Doyoung. I don't have any allergies, so don't worry about it."

"Okay, see you at five?"

Johnny nods in response, stare still hot and sultry, even as Doyoung slings his bag over his shoulder and they exit the newly restored garden together.

He is focused on checking the photos that he had snapped of the new arrangement of florals and greens on his phone when Johnny wraps a warm palm around the sharp curve of his face and presses equally warm lips against the corner of Doyoung's mouth when he looks up in reflex.

"See you at five, Doyoung."

God, he feels like a teenager with a crush again, watching Johnny's car disappear into the distance with his heart thrumming erratically in his chest and the imprint of Johnny's mouth tingling against his skin.

🌱

Johnny's shop is warm and cosy, like its owner.

It's a little bit bigger than Doyoung's, but instead of being filled with plants and soil and fertilisers, there are various boxes of tools and parts stacked up against the walls. Johnny has a narrower counter instead, opting to have a huge work desk right behind it which has spare parts, paper and pencils littered across the surface. It gives off the impression of a handy shop more than Doyoung's own, which is appropriate, considering Johnny's affinity for metals and the fact that he is definitely more useful with a hammer compared to Doyoung.

Doyoung's eyes fall on a familiar object on the counter, out of place in the slightly gritty, grungy vibe of the workshop and he blinks in surprise.

"Welcome! _Oh_ , it's you, Doyoung."

Johnny emerges from a door at the back, blonde hair wet from the shower, and thankfully dressed in a pink button-up instead of that sinful black tank top that now lives rent-free in Doyoung's mind. His grin is wide and excited as he makes his way to the swinging door that separates the front of the shop from the back, the layout not far off from Doyoung's own shop.

"Hi."

"Hello."

And Johnny comes to a few steps before him again, all roguish smile and long limbs, eyes searching Doyoung's face for a bit before the taller witch follows his gaze to the tiny cactus sitting on the counter beside a slim ipad that Doyoung assumes acts as Johnny's customer logbook. "Oh, you've seen it."

"That's my welcome gift to you."

Johnny cocks his head, amused smile still plastered on his face. "Yes, yes it is."

"Oh, it looks silly amongst your tools and sleek technology."

"Don't be silly," Johnny laughs, reaching out to take Doyoung's hand to pull him closer, but he doesn't let go after that. "It looks cute. Adds some colour otherwise to this very drab shop, no?"

Doyoung has nothing to say to that as Johnny reaches for the bag filled with food containers clutched loosely in his other hand, easily easing it out of his grip. He still hasn't let go of Doyoung's other hand, and it's nice, Doyoung thinks, to have Johnny's fingers slotted in the space between his own, Johnny's thumb stroking gentle lines of heat into his skin and making electricity tremble in his veins while he forgets to breathe for a bit.

"I know, you have it infused with a protection charm."

He turns around to look at Johnny, eyes wide in surprise because he had not expected the other witch to pick it on it. It is a dormant spell after all, only activated when the plant is either physically harmed or when it comes into contact with threatening magic energy. Other than that, it merely sinks and blends into the existing magical energy around it, but Doyoung still feels it regardless of the distance between him and the plant. It does hold a part of his magic after all, he will always be connected to it.

"It's kind of amazing how easily your magic harmonised with mine," Johnny sounds equal parts amazed and disbelieving. "I know our magic is very compatible, despite our contrasting affinities, but even then, I don't think I've ever met someone whose magic I can seamlessly connect to and sync with. Back then, I haven't even met you in person yet."

The words sound innocent enough, and Doyoung reminds himself not to read too much into them.

"Happy coincidences, I guess."

Johnny nods, and Doyoung is suddenly very conscious of the other's gaze locked back on his face. "What are the chances, really? That we met in this small town."

The other witch's hand falls away from his, and Doyoung nearly has to physically bite back the whine that had built in his throat at the sudden lack of physical contact. God, it hasn't even been half a year, and he's already hopelessly addicted to the warmth of the other's magic. He must _really_ be desperate or something, or he really has been single for way too long.

Still, no one has made him feel like this, not until Johnny came along with his infuriatingly captivating smile, his charismatic charm, and his warm magic that connected with Doyoung's in a way that no one else's has ever had.

Johnny reaches behind him to flip the _OPEN_ sign over before sliding his palm against Doyoung's again, grinning easily at the other witch while tugging him towards the swinging doors to lead him into the back of the shop. Doyoung just follows, slightly dazed by the striking upturn of Johnny's lips and otherwise distracted by the loud beating of his staccato heart in his ears.

"Come on, let's eat. I'm starving and your food smells _delicious_.”

🌱

Turns out Johnny had prepared dessert, which consisted of a lemon tart that he had picked up on his way back from fixing the oven at Mrs Na's bakery. Doyoung watches him lick powdered sugar off his thumb, eyes following the strong line of his throat before arriving at a stray crumb that is still stubbornly clinging to the corner of Johnny's lips.

Doyoung's own tart slice is half-eaten, abandoned on the plate placed on the coffee table before them as he listens to Johnny talk about Donghyuck when he was younger, about how he misses the younger's natural brown hair. The tangy aftertaste of the filling lingers on his tongue, and as his eyes are locked on the flick of Johnny's tongue as it swipes some bits of cream off his bottom lip, Doyoung can't stop thinking about how _badly_ he wants to kiss Johnny. Right there in the middle of Johnny's tiny living room when their bellies are full from Doyoung's seafood stew and kimchi fried rice tossed together with some leftovers uncovered in Johnny's fridge.

Before he can overthink it, Doyoung reaches out to pluck the crumb off Johnny's face, his thumb pressing momentarily against the soft upturn of Johnny's lip. The same spot on his face tingles, reminding Doyoung of the press of Johnny's mouth against his skin, and heat gathers slowly in his belly even as he looks away and swipes a tissue from the box on the table to clean his fingers.

"Doyoung."

There is a heavier lilt to Johnny's voice now, darker and deeper, and Doyoung focuses on wiping residue oil and pastry crumbs off his fingers. He hums in response, eyes trained on his fingers, even as he is suddenly aware of the other man moving _much_ closer to him.

"Doyoung, can I kiss you?"

His head snaps up embarrassingly fast at Johnny's words, and it is even more humiliating at how his eyes immediately lock onto Johnny's mouth. The other witch is watching him closely, eyes hooded, gaze heavy and dark, hand pressed into the fabric of the couch right beside Doyoung's thigh, and he is _so close_.

"Do you want to?"

Doyoung doesn't know what possessed him to answer Johnny's question with another one.

Johnny looks bashful even as he doesn't move away, eyes very obviously dropping down to linger on the plane of Doyoung's cheekbone peeking out from his shirt before snapping up to rest on Doyoung's lips again. "Sorry I didn't ask back then at Ms Kwon's. That was rather sleazy and ungentlemanly of me."

Doyoung shakes his head, and he thinks that Johnny can probably hear how his heart is hammering so loudly, given the lack of space between them that keeps decreasing as Johnny presses closer and closer.

"No, it's okay. I...enjoyed it."

The relief that spreads across Johnny's face is almost comical, but the snarky retort dies on Doyoung's tongue as Johnny cups his face gently and his hot breath washes over Doyoung's mouth. The way that Johnny is looking at Doyoung makes his blood sing in his veins, eager to close the small gap between their mouths, his own fingers twitching unconsciously as all he can think about is climbing into Johnny's lap so that he can slide his hands up the smooth material of Johnny's dress shirt and feel the flex of those toned muscles under his palm.

"You didn't answer my question, Doyoung."

Even with their lips so close to each other, even with how Johnny's gaze is sultry and smouldering, stroking the fire under Doyoung's skin and the other looking like he wants to devour Doyoung whole, Johnny is still so _irritating_. Irritatingly perfect in the way that he still asks for permission, that his grip on Doyoung's face is loose enough that the other can pull away if he wants to.

So Doyoung shuts off the overthinking part of his brain, savours the momentary firmness of Johnny's chest under his palm before he is fisting the material of Johnny's shirt and surging upwards to press his lips against Johnny's.

Johnny licks into his mouth, tongue hot against Doyoung's, and Doyoung willingly follows as Johnny's large hands wrap around his waist and pull him into the taller witch's lap. Johnny's hair is smooth under his fingers, his pulse hard and fast in his neck under Doyoung's thumb, and the way Johnny pants and whispers _god, you're so fucking hot_ into his mouth makes Doyoung want to never stop kissing him.

Then Johnny's hand is slipping under the hem of his black sweater, thumbing at the jut of his hipbone, and Doyoung whimpers against the curve of Johnny's lower lip as the other witch's hand comes up to cradle the nape of his neck gently. Tender, slower, in the way Johnny's thumb glides along his jaw, as Johnny presses soft kisses to the edge of Doyoung's mouth and whispers soft praises into the skin of Doyoung's cheek.

"Thought you said you'd rather go on a few dates before some action in bed?"

Johnny laughs, the sound equal parts low and amused, going straight to Doyoung's veins and fanning the flames that had already erupted there with their first kiss.

"Usually, I do. But you, Kim Doyoung, make me want to do all of it at once. To go on dates with you, to hold your hand, to kiss you, to press you to my mattress and discover what sounds you will make in bed. You make me want to do things out of order, Doyoung. Just looking at you, and touching you like this makes all my logic and restraint go out of my head."

Doyoung can't help the laugh that escapes him, even as blood rushes to his cheeks and ears embarrassingly fast. Johnny's words make him feel like a teenager again, easily flustered by the simplest words, hot and bothered by the most innocent touches, and yet, the way Johnny presses fleeting kisses down his nose before landing one last one against his lips makes his heart somersault in a way that could only be described as tender.

"Well, we have time to do all those things, no?" he offers, chasing eagerly after Johnny's lips as the other pulls away. There is a satisfaction that stirs inside of him as Johnny groans against his jaw, the sound elicited by a slightly harder tug at the hairs at the nape of Johnny's neck. "Unless you plan on moving away from this town for some reason."

Johnny stills, lips still attached to the juncture of where Doyoung's jaw meets his ear. There is a temporary silence, a little bit too heavy for both of them, before Johnny is pulling away to press their foreheads together, hands settling around Doyoung's neck in a comforting anchor to reality.

"No, I have no intention of doing that."

There is an unspoken promise hidden behind the simple sentence. _I'm here to stay, if you'll have me._

Doyoung smiles, his heart leaping into his throat as he digs his fingers into Johnny's blonde locks and tugs the other witch forward to connect their mouths together again.

"I'd like that," he whispers into the space between them as Johnny pulls away again to look at him. He looks even more attractive like this, Doyoung thinks. Cheeks flushed from making out, hair ruffled and messy thanks to Doyoung's fingers, genuine lazy smile curling his kiss-swollen lips. And yet, he's the one looking at Doyoung so reverently, like Doyoung is the most beautiful person that he has ever encountered in his life.

"Yes you are," Johnny chuckles softly before leaning forward to kiss him again.

"You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen in my life, Kim Doyoung."

And Johnny _is_ the most irritating, but also the most attractive person Doyoung has ever encountered. But it works for them, he thinks, as he tastes the leftover tang from the lemon tart slices abandoned on the coffee table on Johnny's tongue.

Their magic hums happily in the air around them, wrapped closely around each other as Doyoung sinks deeper into Johnny's arms and lets the other witch press a soft kiss into his temple.

**Author's Note:**

> two years later, there are still two magic shops in town - but only one of them has a flowering cactus beside a brass "welcome" plaque on the counter. 
> 
> kudos and comments are welcome and greatly appreciated!


End file.
